This invention relates generally to display monitor lift systems useful where space is limited and the monitor may need to be stowed out of the way when not in use. More particularly, it concerns a monitor lift apparatus which employs a flexible track configured to define a path for traverse by a drive element to effect travel of a monitor between a stowed position and a presented position.
In confined places such as aircraft passenger compartments, space is at a premium, particularly when it comes to allocation of such space to non-essential appliances such as display monitors or the like. Nevertheless, display monitors are important to many travelers, both for entertainment and as an effective business tool. In order to be useful in aircraft passenger compartments, however, such monitors typically must be provided with the capability of being stowed out of the way of the passengers and crew when not in use. Such monitors also preferably are deployable/stowable quickly and are easily positionable by the user during flight. Onboard display monitors thus typically are mounted as nearby as possible to passengers, often being built into the passenger""s seat or an adjacent structure.
Because of the relatively low-slung seats that are typical of most commercial and private aircraft, unusual vertical space limitations may constrain the ability to deploy/stow a monitor of conventional design. Accordingly, it would be useful to provide a monitor lift apparatus which accommodates easy deployment/stowage of a monitor without utilizing excessive amounts of space. It also would be useful to provide a monitor lift apparatus which provides for secure stowage of the monitor when not in use.
Briefly, the invented lift apparatus includes a frame and a carriage-mounted monitor configured for travel between a stowed position and a presented position along a flexible track. The carriage typically includes a rotary drive element which traverses the flexible track to effect travel of the carriage and monitor between the stowed and presented positions. The flexible track may take the form of a chain, belt, or cable, and typically extends between upper and lower ends of the frame so as to provide for vertical deployment/stowage of the monitor. The carriage may include first and second rotary drive elements, the second drive element being laterally offset from the first rotary drive element such that the flexible track extends about the first and second drive elements along a generally S-shaped path. Typically, the first rotary drive element serves to drive the carriage along the flexible track. The second rotary drive element acts as a idler to adjust tension in the flexible track and to provide sufficient engagement between the rotary drive elements and the flexible track. This configuration maintains tension in the flexible track.
The monitor may be secured in position using a latch pin which is mounted on the carriage to selectively engage the frame. Correspondingly, the frame may define a one or more detents for receipt of the latch pin. In one embodiment, the latch pin is biased toward a deployed orientation wherein the latch pin engages the frame, but a solenoid in operative relation with the latch pin is configured selectively to remove the latch pin from the deployed orientation. The solenoid may be activated/deactivated based on information provided by one or more sensors which detect the position of the carriage and/or monitor.
These and other advantages and features of the invention will become more fully apparent when the detailed description below is read with reference to the accompanying drawings.